Electrically propelled toy vehicles with removable magnetic elements bridging contacts



Feb. 16, 1965 M. L. MARMO ETAL 3,169,345

ELECTRICAL-LY PROPEZLLED TOY VEHICLES WITH REMOVABLE MENTS BRIDGING CONTACTS MAGNETIC ELE Filed Oct. 4. 1961 FIG.|

INVENTORS. MlCHAEL L. MARMO R 8 RT DJVALSH BY; 0

ATTORN EY United States Patent Ofiice 3,169,345 ELEQZTRICALLY PROPELLED TUY VEHECLES WITH REMOVABLE lidAGNETii. ELEMENTS BRIDGING CGNTAQTS hiichael L. lvlarmo, 332l. 172nd St, Flushing, l i-Y and Robert F. Walsh, 26--37 212th St., Bay/side, N.Y. Filed Get. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 142,358 4 Qlaims. '(Cl. 4624i) This invention relates to battery operated toys such as, for example, automobiles, wherein the vehicle is propelled by a small electric motor which is energized by one or more flashlight type of dry cells. Such toy vehicles normally carry a chauffeur or driver, and in the example illustrated the vehicle is of the sport or racer type, or, in other words, it is an open car.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a vehicle of the type mentioned, wherein the toy figure of the driver is removable and is provided with a circuitclosing magnetizable element which, when the driver is seated behind the wheel, bridges two spaced magnets which constitute the spaced terminals of the electric circuit. Thus, in order to start the vehicle the driver is placed in position behind the wheel, and in order to stop the vehicle the driver is removed. While the driver is seated the circuit is closed and by magnetic attraction he remains firmly seated. As a converse and alternative arrangement, the two circuit terminals may be made of unmagnetized iron and the circuit-closing element in the toy driver may be in the form of a magnet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of the toy figure of the driver in the form of a rigid person in seated position and providing in the toy vehicle behind the wheel a seat having two spaced iron circuit terminals, the figure of the driver having exposed from the bottom or seat thereof an iron or steel transverse member adapted to bridge the two terminals when the figure is positioned in the vehicle, with either the transverse member or the two circuit terminals comprising permanent magnets.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description wherein reference numerals refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended primarily for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing, FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a toy vehicle and driver embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the vehicle per se, with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the toy driver, per se.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the seated figure of the driver.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indi cates a toy automobile having front and rear wheels 11 and 12, respectively, and the engine hood 13. The hood may be hinged to the vehicle or otherwise made to be lifted or removed, all not shown.

In the drawing the rear axle 14 is shown geared to the drive pinion of an electric motor 15 for propelling the vehicle. A single battery cell 16 is shown held between terminal clips 17 under the hood.

The vehicle includes the seat 18 upon which the toy figure 19 of the driver is adapted to be seated, in a position behind the steering wheel 20. Two spaced bars, strips or the like 21 of magnetizable metal are mounted in the seat 12 with their upper surfaces exposed. A bar or strip 22 of magnetizable metal is set into or attached to the seat of the figure I? with its lower surface exposed.

3,lfi9,34i5 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 As shown in FIG. 2, the single cell shown is connected through leads 23, 24 and 25 in series with the two bar terminals 21 and the terminals 26 of the motor 15. It is apparent from FIG. 2 that when the two terminals 21 are bridged the motor 15 will be energized and the vehicle will be propelled. v I

Preferably the two terminal bars 21 are made of soft iron and the bar 22 is made of magnetized steel so that it is a permanent magnet. T bus, when the figure 1 9 is set into position on the seat 12 so that the magnet 22 bridges the terminals 21 the magnet will adhereto the iron terminals and not only close the circuit through the motor but also maintain the figure 19 firmly ii -place. As the vehicle moves While the motor is thus energized, it may be brought to a stop-by merely lifting the figure 19 off its seat. f 7

Normally or commonly such toy vehicles are made of light weight material, such as a plastic, as is also the figure 19. Hence the magnet 22 need not .posses a high degree of magnetism as a relatively weak magnetic field will secure the figure firmly to its seat and yet permit of easy lifting it olf its seat.

Although only one battery cell 16 has been shown in the drawing, the number of such cells is a matter of choice.

The manner of starting and stopping the toy vehicle as set forth above makes it very easy and simple for a small child to operate the vehicle or to bring it to a stop, as the fingers of one hand can easily grasp the head of the driver to unseat him or to seat him.

As stated above, an alternative form of construction would be to provide the two members 21 as permanent magnets and to provide the bar 22 in the form of a soft iron member. Additionally, if any one of the three members 21, 21 and 22 were a permanent magnet and the other two were made of soft iron, the device would still function in the same way although the magnetic attraction between the driver and the seat would be weaker if either of the members 21 were the only permanent magnet. Nevertheless, in the latter case, when the driver is seated, the bar 22 would be sufficiently magnetized by having but one member 210 permanent magnet to carry attraction by magnetization as it would the other member 21, as is well known.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In an electrically driven toy vehicle having a motor for driving the same and a battery for energizing the motor, the vehicle having a drivers sea-t, a rigid light weight plastic toy figure of a driver in seated position adapted to be seated on said seat, said seat having two spaced members of magnetizable metal therein whose upper surfaces are exposed, said figure having a member of magnetizable metal therein exposed through the bottom surface thereof having a length sufficient to bridge said spaced members, said battery, said motor and said spaced members being connected in a series circuit, at least one of said magnetizable members comprising a permanent magnet, the toy figure being adapted to be seated on the seat with the magnetizable member on the figure bridging said spaced members to close said circuit through said three magnetizable members.

2. An electrically driven toy vehicle according to claim 1, said two spaced members being transversely spaced with respect to the vehicle.

3. An electrically driven toy vehicle having a motor for driving the same and a battery for energizing the motor, the vehicle having a drivers seat, a rigid light weight plastic toy figure of a driver in seated position adapted to be seated on said seat, said seat having two spaced members of magnetizable metal therein whose saidspaced members being connected in a series circuit,

the figure being seated onsaid seat with said bar bridging said spaced members to close said circuit through said two-spaced members and said bar. i a 1 a g 4. An electrically driven toy vehicle having a motor for driving the same anda source of electrical supply for energizing the motor, the vehicle having a seat therein, a light weight plastic toy figure adapted to be seated on said seat, a two part circuit closing means having one part thereof composed of two spaced magnetizable members connected inlserie's with said source and said motor and having the other part thereof composed of a'magnetizable bn'dgingmember adapted to bridge said spaced members to close, the circuit through the motor and said source,

one of said'parts being mounted on said figure andthe ,other of, said parts being mounted on said seat, said parts beingrespectively mounted on said figure and' on said 4 seat in positions such that when the figure is seated on said seat the bridging member bridges the spaced members whence current flows through said bridging member and said two spaced members, at least one of said members comprising a'permanent magnet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,170,795 1/59 FfElDQC. RiQHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

JAMES w. LOVE, DELB RT B. LOWE, Examiners. 

1. IN AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN TOY VEHICLE HAVING A MOTOR FOR DRIVING THE SAME AND A BATTERY FOR ENERGIZING THE MOTOR, THE VEHICLE HAVING A DRIVER''S SEAT, A RIGID LIGHT WEIGHT PLASTIC TOY FIGURE OF A DRIVER IN SEATED POSITION ADAPTED TO BE SEATED ON SAID SEAT, SAID SEAT HAVING TWO SPACED MEMBERS OF MAGNETIZABLE METAL THEREIN WHOSE UPPER SURFACES ARE EXPOSED, SAID FIGURE HAVING A MEMBER OF MAGNETIZABLE METAL THEREIN EXPOSED THROUGH THE BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO BRIDGE SAID SPACED MEMBERS, SAID BATTERY, SAID MOTOR AND SAID SPACED MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED IN A SERIES CIRCUIT, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MAGNETIZABLE MEMBERS COMPRISING A PERMANENT MAGNET, THE TOY FIGURE BEING ADAPTED TO BE SEATED ON THE SEAT WITH THE MAGNETIZABLE MEMBER ON THE FIGURE BRIDGING SAID SPACED MEMBERS TO CLOSE SAID CIRCUIT THROUGH SAID THREE MAGNETIZABLE MEMBERS. 